Golden Valley Eggs Sales Director Craig Ansell tells us why distributing and grading a stable food product still requires a fluid effort.

“I used to think, ‘If I’m not growing by 20% a year, what am I doing?’” remembers Craig Ansell. When the long time sales professional became Director of Sales for egg wholesaler and grading authority Golden Valley Eggs in 2009, he changed perspective.

While massive shifts in demand aren’t likely in such a mature brand category, that doesn’t mean that growth isn’t possible. Nor does it mean that logistical and market challenges don’t abound. “I used to think I’d get bored here, but I’m still waiting for that to happen,” says Ansell.

Ansell recently shared his wisdom with Goldbeck Recruiting, discussing the importance of nimble action in logistics, how to build and retain a good sales team, and the benefits of empowering your people.

Avian Flu and Other Supply Side Challenges

Ansell and his colleagues at Golden Valley Eggs will sometimes find themselves jumping hurdles in order to meet their customers’ needs. An outbreak of avian flu, which began last fall, provides an example.

“Suddenly we have 25,000 less birds to pick from,” says Ansell. He explains that such challenges are particularly pressing in short supply chains. “From the time a flock of chickens goes down until the time those eggs were supposed to be in store is only a matter of a few days.”

When such issues arise, it’s important to pivot and make quick adjustments. Campaigns for specific types of eggs may have to take a backseat to immediate needs.

“Our efforts go into minimizing the damage and maximizing what we can do with what we have,” explains Ansell. “There’s a domino effect down the supply chain.”

Pandemic Caused Egg Demand Spike

It’s not only supply side challenges that keep Ansell on his toes, but demand fluctuations as well. He recalls how the pandemic caused a spike in consumption.

“Everybody eats eggs on the weekend, but during Covid people were at home so every day was like a weekend,” he says.

A new facility built by Golden Valley in Abbotsford was supposed to meet the company’s needs for 20 years. Instead, further expansion became necessary last year, just 12 years after the opening of the Abbotsford facility.

Eggs are regulated by supply management in Canada. This, combined with the relatively mature nature of the category, has led Valley Foods to favour investments in infrastructure and process over large-scale public branding efforts.

“We tend to spend our money on the operations side,” he says. “Our efficiency is our advantage.”

Passion, Relationships Key to Sales

Ansell believes that the key to success for the sales team comes from their ability to pivot, as well as their passion for the product.

“Not a lot of people wake up with a passion for selling eggs, but they do have a passion for healthy, sustainable products,” he says.

As a major player in the industry, Ansell says that his team is often tasked with providing perspective to their clients.

“Our customers will often ask us what’s going on in the industry and what they should be doing,” he says. “We have to give our people the resources they need in order to be successful.”

Can Sales Teams Work from Home?

While Ansell acknowledges that a portion of the sales job can be done from home, he believes that there’s no substitute for face-to-face relationship building.

“It’s more important for me to see my customers than it is for me to see the people in our office,” he says. “Because of labour market trends and conditions, many people have been conditioned to work exclusively from home. That’s great, but it’s not a fit with us.”

Retaining Sales and Other Staff

“As a population and as a culture, we’re becoming more focussed on taking care of our people,” says Ansell. He sees this as a good thing that is no longer a bonus, but an employee expectation.

He notes that Golden Valley Foods has many employees who have been with the company for 20 or even 30 years, a testament to their strength as an employer.

“Some benefits are measurable, but it’s also important that we take care of our staff by making sure they feel like they have a place with us,” he says.

Empowering Staff

One way Ansell likes to engage his staff is by encouraging them to present ideas. He recalls a time early in his own tenure when he approached the company with an idea to place an emphasis on marketing eggs with darker yolks, which the marketplace perceived to be healthier. The idea was ultimately a success and he was grateful to have been empowered. In turn, he presents the same opportunity to members of his own team.

One colleague presented an idea for specialized Chinese packaging to serve that marketplace.

“She had a lot of energy and enthusiasm for the idea and it went better than anybody would have thought,” he says. “It helped us build stronger relationships with our customers as well.”

As Ansell sees it, these ideas will either provide success or learning opportunities.

“We have to invite ideas and not punish people if they don’t work out,” he says. “This is how you get the best out of people. If the ideas are unsuccessful, we learn and move forward.”

Earning Customer Loyalty Every Day

In addition to British Columbia, Ansell is responsible for Alberta, where Golden Valley Farms distributes eggs through the Sparks Eggs banner. He says that being the biggest player in those marketplaces provides opportunity, but also places a target on their backs. As such, he takes nothing for granted.

“We’re the biggest because we’ve earned it and we continue to earn it,” he says. “With that comes a lot of responsibility. I tell our people that we have to earn this every day by treating our customers with respect.”